A Sonata for Love and War
by Disenchanted Romance
Summary: The romance behind the tragedy of Macduff and Lady Macduff, is a spark that has not grown dim. It will remain there until the end of eternity…


I love this pairing, but I'm not too sure why I'm obsessed with Macduff and Lady Macduff. Anyway, what I intend to write in this piece is the spark before the tragedy of Macduff and after the ending of "Macbeth." Please R and R. No flames please. Thanks!

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from "Macbeth" (with the exception of a few characters)!

And now for Act I…

-()-

**A Sonata for Love and War**

**By: Disenchanted Romance**

Act I: Stars and Butterflies

The lands of Macduff and the lands of Vera would soon become the lands of Fife when their two offspring wed. To maintain peace, it was not an option for them to decline the set betrothal. On a crisp spring evening, just as the sun was setting, Michael left the fields close by his castle and went for a stroll in his family's gardens farther away.

He thought silently, as he passed fields upon fields of wildflowers:

⌐Michael (Macduff) ¬

These once freed lands shall merge,

With its sisterly pieces of Earth to form

Our new beloved lands of Fife.

If I could choose my destiny,

I would definitely choose to wed out of love and compassion,

Not to satisfy a meager excuse for peace.

I have grown familiar with my family's lands,

And to see them conjoined with a stranger's,

It will destroy what my ancestors have strived to maintain.

For what purpose do my mother and father want me to wed?

A maiden whom I bear of no knowledge or trust?

Have we lost our fortunes?

Or has her father threatened seize our lands,

If his beloved daughter does not wed what her ambitious heart wants?

Whatever the reason, I must commit to what I have agreed upon,

If it is to maintain this false peace,

Then I will do so.

Perhaps as I age with my bride,

We may find each other's love.

His walk continued until he felt that he unconsciously roamed out of the familiar blades of grass and blossoms of flowers. He sat underneath a large azalea shrub, becoming deep in thought over his forced marriage with the unknown maiden. He then heard soft steps on the soft cool grass. He turned to see who was approaching him and noticed that shadow of a maiden, who stopped her steps when she was startled by the image of Michael. She quickly retraced her steps until she was stopped by him:

**Michael**

Please maiden,

If I startled you with my presence,

Please forgive me.

**Cassandra **(Lady Macduff)

On the contrary,

I should be the one to seek your forgiveness.

At first, I left my abode

And I then found myself gazing at the stars.

I then became too distraught

To see where my roaming feet have taken me.

**Michael**

You have come to me on a most chaotic hour.

Here I was,

Filled with aggravation and rage over my forced marriage,

But when my eyes rested on your countenance,

The storm was swept away,

My silent tears dried from the sunshine of your face,

And my heart was lifted for a moment

From its burden.

I am Michael,

Tell me, what name do you go by?

**Cassandra**

My humble name is Cassandra...

We have only met for a brief moment,

And here you are,

Filling my head

With thoughts of the star-crossed romance that doomed its lovers.

Yet, what we share in common,

Is our grief.

**Michael**

Then share your pain with me.

**Cassandra**

It should think it is not proper,

For a woman to continue speaking to man,

Of whom I have just met without the proper consent.

**Michael**

You may accuse me with your father,

After you answer what I have asked.

She replied as she sat next to Michael:

**Cassandra**

If you insist,

My heart deep in a sea of sadness,

My freedom of choice has been robbed from me,

Despite the fact that there has never been much of choice for me to have.

What has brought me so much pain,

Is the marriage I was forced into,

To a man who is only consumed by greed and power,

A man who will never seek to win or have my love and affection.

She began to weep, until his soft ebony locks rested on her soft brunette tresses. He spoke to her in a gentle tone as he embraced her shoulders:

**Michael**

It seems destiny brought us together,

To exemplify our common heartache,

And to allow us a chance to fully unravel the meaning of love.

Cassandra slightly moved away from Michael as she wiped the tears from her blushing cheeks. She then spoke in a similar gentle tone:

**Cassandra**

And what makes you so certain,

That I have the same infatuation that you hover for me?

I continue to stress of our recent occurrence,

But despite my stressing,

You continue to fill my heart with such warmth.

What being are you truly?

Are you truly man or sorcerer?

**Michael**

I can reassure you that I am only a simple man,

If you feel such enchantment in your heart,

Then part of it is from my doing,

But part of it comes from your own mind.

Is it safe to say that you have fallen in love with me?

**Cassandra**

I dare hide it no longer...

I have fallen in love with your sweet words

Although I mainly fell for your loving soul.

But have you fallen in love with me?

**Michael**

You need not ask...

Indeed I have.

They left the azalea tree and roamed hand in hand into a hidden field of hydrangeas and hyacinths. There soft pastel colors of lilac and cerulean sea matched the calm evening sky. They stopped and sat in the hyacinth flowerbeds, feeling the warm moonlight radiate on their newfound affection. They gazed into each other's eyes and approached for a kiss, when suddenly, a flock of butterflies came out of their hiding spots.

Cassandra said softly as she gazed at the butterflies:

**Cassandra**

How I do admire them...

Their tiny wings capture the beauty of this moonlight,

Their flaps are so graceful,

Complementing their pale cerulean wings,

Outlined with thin black lines symbolizing this wonderful night.

What a free creature to behold,

Yet I do fear they may lie in danger from the nightly predators.

Michael slightly chuckled, taking her hand into his, saying:

**Michael**

You need not worry for the tiny angels.

They were here to guard us,

But seeing that we are in each other's protection,

They have no need to remain here.

They are swift and agile,

Being incapable to fall in a fool's trap.

I can guarantee you,

The entire flock will be here

When we return back to the sea of hyacinths and hydrangeas.

Cassandra stared down at the cool grass with a solemn pit it her eyes. She held a tight grip onto Michael's hand, replying:

**Cassandra**

Then it shall not be tomorrow night,

For I am to meet with my other family.

But be not ill-hearted...

I intend to break my engagement and fall back into your arms,

Even if it means being disowned by my father and mother.

**Michael**

I, as well,

Am to meet with this mystery maiden I am burdened with.

But you will not be the only sacrifice.

I will have my engagement annulled,

And then...

We shall meet here again,

After we ended our chained lives.

She placed her hand on his cheek, softly caressing it as she said:

**Cassandra**

It would pain me dearly,

If you were in the arms of another woman.

He returned the gesture, adding:

**Michael**

It would bring more anguish,

If you were in the lips of another man.

But thankfully,

The stars would not permit that.

They kissed as the moonlight intensified, with no guardian to burden them but only the petals that left their abode and danced with the passing breeze. After their exchanged affection, they parted with silent tears and waited for the obstacle they must face in the next night. Yet, the hardship they will endure would end when they return to the flowerbeds and see that their sacrifice would not be in vain.

The following night, Michael waited nervously for the Vera family to step into the Macduff castle. He worried of how his family would respond, but more importantly, on how the Vera family would react to the end of engagement:

⌐Michael¬

How tardy they are getting...

My heart is beating fast,

But it calmed when I think of my Cassandra.

What will my father say,

When he hears I shall not marry the Vera heir?

Yet, who I do fear the most,

Is her ferocious father?

Shall I tell the truth,

And say that I have met a heavenly maiden,

Who saved me from my heartache,

And to whom I promised eternal love?

He saw a servant pass by, heading towards the entrance of the castle. From the family room from which he stayed, he felt as though the commotion his family was making has gone mute, all but the sound of the Vera footsteps.

He thought as the Vera family was greeted by his mother and father:

⌐Michael¬

They are finally here...

But...

Why is Cassandra under their company?

Could it be possible that I fell for their servant,

Or, do I plead,

She is the Vera maiden I was to marry...?

It is her!

She spoke of marrying by force to another man last night,

But who would have guessed we fell in love

Without knowing we were betrothed!

My Cassandra...

There will be no need for us to abandon our families or castles,

But we shall only hide our meeting last night...

No!

May this castle know of our accidental love!

Cassandra, in turn, was confused as to what to do. She wants to pour out her love for Michael and reveal their meeting in the flowerbeds, but at what expense?

⌐Cassandra¬

What relief has my heart taken!

The man whom I damned,

Is actually the man I love!

But from where do we go from here?

I wish to exclaim out my love,

But will my father think wrong?

I pray that he does not,

But I will wait for Michael to respond first.

If he chooses to remain silent,

And act as though we have just met,

Then I will be the best actress that has been bestowed to me.

But is he chooses to reveal our secret meeting,

Then I will speak from the top of lungs,

And proclaim my love for Michael.

After the greetings, Lord Macduff presented forward Michael, as well Lord Vera with Cassandra. The young lovers gazed with worried but loving eyes as their parents spoke with jocular tones.

**Lord Macduff**

I do hope we will make of excellent use of this night,

And I do pray our children will come to terms,

With what is set.

**Lord Vera**

I do hope so too.

Yet, it appears our hopes are being answered.

They are stiff and mute since we have arrived.

**Madam Macduff**

Perhaps they indeed

Accepted their marriage,

And the name Macduff.

**Madam Vera**

I find it unjust

That my young lass shall take the name Macduff,

When they should instead take the name Fife.

**Lord Macduff**

We will leave it for them to decide,

After their nuptial.

Have you nothing to say Michael?

Michael stepped forward and took Cassandra's hand, and said as he turned to his confused father, and then to his father-in-law:

**Michael**

What I have to say,

Is not my acceptance to wed,

But rather my proclamation of love to Cassandra.

I confess...

We have met before our appointed night,

But may I say,

If we have not,

This nuptial would have been a burden rather than a privilege.

We met yesterday night,

After we roamed away from our familiar surroundings

And into the grounds of the blessed azalea tree.

We then walked to the enchanted fields of hydrangeas and hyacinths,

From which,

We were blessed by the passing butterflies

And by the radiating moonlight.

Dare I say,

When our lips touched,

It was as though we were lifted by the stars,

So that our supposed forbidden affair,

May live in a timeless beauty.

But after seeing we were the ones we were betrothed to,

I can safely say that I love Cassandra,

And I intend to live in this full-throttle romance,

Until eternity ceases to exist.

Lord Macduff merely stuttered, but Lord Vera's face glowed with outrage but showed a small hint of content. He finally bellowed:

**Lord Vera**

And I suppose every word is true,

Is it not!?

I trust no lie was tied with your declaration,

For if there is,

I will personally strike you with my vengeful blade-!

**Cassandra**

-Oh please father!

Why must you make something so gratifying,

Into something that makes you hate!?

He spoke the truth and nothing else...

I love Michael,

And I do hope that our nuptial will still be in agreement.

He means everything to me,

And I will not lose what has made me complete.

If you disregard him, father,

And force me to marry another man,

I vow to you,

I would rather spill my blood on your grounds...

Better yet,

I will not choose the fate of the star-crossed lovers,

But rather flee from my oppressive castle, with my Michael,

And live the remainder of our days,

In the eternity of our romance.

You confuse me father...

Is this not the man

Whom you and Lord Macduff wished for me to marry!?

Why must you tangle your own threads!?

**Lord Vera**

I only wished for your own well being,

And I admit...

It was wrong of me to mistrust Michael...

Michael and Lord Macduff,

May you take pity on my apology.

**Lord Macduff**

What is said cannot be cried over...

I accept your apology, as a father.

What is important is that our children love each other,

And they proclaimed their love knotted with infinity.

May we move away from this minor travesty

And move into the nuptial of our beloved children.

**Madam Vera**

But before the ceremony is set,

Tell me my lass,

What name do you prefer to go by?

**Madam Macduff**

Oh please do not bring up another argument!

The children have went through so much

To be discussing such a binding agreement.

Cassandra turned away from her mother and turned to Michael, gazing into his eyes as she held his hands. She said in a soft tone:

**Cassandra**

There is no discussion needed...

I freely choose the name Macduff,

To honor my love, Michael.

**Michael**

Then I promise you my dear, Cassandra,

I will uphold that you hold onto,

An unsullied name,

Only deserving the purest that can be granted on you.

They remained in their loving gaze, as their families rejoiced in the background. They were glad that no real hardship had been present that night. For now, they can only dream of their wedding morning.

-()-

Here's the legend I forgot to put:

⌐Character¬- thinking

**Character**- speaking

Anyhow, I will try to update soon. Thanks for reading!!!


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